calling

Get ready for another blockbuster Call of Duty launch.

Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter said in a research note yesterday that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, which is scheduled to hit store shelves next week, will likely become the bestselling game this year, and could very well beat out its predecessor, Call of Duty: Black Ops, in total sales.

"If Modern Warfare 3 receives strong review scores, it should at least match predecessor Black Ops' sales (over 25 million units) due to the network effect," Pachter said. In a follow-up interview with IndustryGamers, Pachter said he thinks Modern Warfare 3 will outsell Black Ops by 10 percent during its first six weeks of availability and generate a total of $1.1 billion during that time.

If that happens, Modern Warfare 3 will become the bestselling game of all time, beating out Black Ops, which generated $1 billion during its first six weeks on store shelves. That title took the crown from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.… Read more

Immediately after I posted the iPhone 4S review last week, I sent the phone to CNET Labs for talk time battery tests.

Battery life is terribly important, as any smartphone owner knows, and we wanted to make sure Apple's promises weren't just that. And now, the results are in, courtesy of Senior Editor Eric Franklin.

When used with Sprint's 3G EV-DO Rev. A network, we beat Apple's promised talk time of 8 hours by an additional hour and 18 minutes. That's our strongest iPhone battery test to date, surpassing each of the previous three iPhones … Read more

It was just over two years ago that I wrote about Line2, a clever VoIP app that adds a second phone number to your iPhone.

Now developer Toktumi has released Line2 HD, an iPad-specific version of the app, which should prove popular among business users. It not only turns your tablet into a full-featured phone, but also provides a nice hub for managing calls and messages.

To get started with Line2, you need to sign up via the company's site. (Unfortunately, there's no longer an in-app sign-up option.) You can test-drive the app and service with a free … Read more

Even fancy smartphones like the iPhone 4S need to have satisfying call quality. A phone can have a hundred other amazing features, but its primary purpose is simple communication.

Yet, call quality depends on more factors than just the device. There's the strength of the carrier's network, your distance from a tower, and how many people are making a call at the same time. So when you throw all those variables together, the same handset on multiple carriers can deliver a different experience.

Below you'll find voice samples from the Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T … Read more

Parents have a new reason to be concerned about little Johnny spending hours blasting through Super Mario and Call of Duty. It now seems that playing video games is just a gateway to becoming a classical music fan.

The London Philharmonic Orchestra is unleashing "The Greatest Video Game Music" album on November 8 featuring classically reimagined tunes from Grand Theft Auto, World of Warcraft, Tetris, BioShock, Angry Birds, and many others.

Yes, the same orchestra that brought us hit albums such as "Mozart: The Violin Concertos" and "Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 5 and 9," is now tackling Splinter Cell and Legend of Zelda.… Read more

T-Mobile USA, despite being the only national wireless carrier without the iPhone, has found a way to get on Apple's smash-hit smartphone.

The carrier today launched a mobile version of its Bobsled Internet-based calling app. The app will work on any iOS device, from the iPhone to the iPad, as well as Android smartphones and tablets.

T-Mobile is attempting to branch out of its core wireless service and dip its toes into adjacent growth areas such as Web-based phone and messaging services. The mobile app represents an expansion of its Bobsled initiative, which allows users to log in with their Facebook credentials and make phone calls, leave voicemails, and send messages for free. … Read more

What was that I heard about the British being mild-mannered? A dad in England apparently didn't get the national memo.

According to a report in the Plymouth Herald, Mark Bradford admitted to attacking a teenager after the sharp-shooter took Bradford's character out during a round of Call of Duty online.

Bradford's breakdown came after the boy teased him about the triumph.

The attack broke up what otherwise might have been an unremarkable moment where both were playing on PlayStations from different residences and communicating over microphones.

Bradford, 46, reportedly drove to the teen's address to carry out the choking assault that resulted in a scratch and reddening of the boy's neck. It's funny when Homer Simpson does it to Bart, but the humor dries up quickly when it happens in the real world.

According to the report, Bradford, a father of three, may have some mental health issues. He is currently out on bail and is due back in court October 24.

Correction, 1:41 p.m.: The story originally misstated Bradford's relationship to the teen. The boy was not Bradford's son. … Read more

Move over, Skype. Watch your back, Line2. Good news, iPad and iPod Touch users. The new MagicJack app lets you make unlimited free calls to the U.S. and Canada, no strings attached, no credit card required. 

That means if you're a heavy gabber, you could theoretically drop to the cheapest available iPhone voice plan--and keep on gabbing. Of course, it also gives iPad and fourth-generation iPod Touch users an option for totally free phone service.

The first time you run the app, you get three choices. If you already have one of the famed MagicJack voice-over-IP gizmos, you can sign into your account, use your existing number, and access all of your associated contacts. That effectively gives you a second phone line for your iPhone--complete with its own voice mailbox.

If you're not already a MagicJack customer, you can quickly sign up for an account, and get a new phone number (sort of) in the process. That "number" is actually a 10-digit code that callers need to punch in after calling a main MagicJack number--a fairly major hassle, and a fact that's not explained anywhere within the app. (Nor is the number listed; it's 305-848-TALK.)

Alternately, you can skip both options and just start making calls. That's how I started my MagicJack testing, though later I linked the app to an inactive (but still operational) MagicJack account.… Read more